Peter was a champion. He was a first tier disciple. He actually walked and talked with Jesus while he was on earth. He was petulant and passionate. He was powerful and persistent. He spoke without thinking. He acted before he thought. He was a strong willed man who many leaders would have shunned because of his temperament. Jesus was undaunted by all of that. As he is undaunted by our humanity or our flaws. None of that stops the Lord from showing himself strong for us and through us. Peter became such a champ that he continued the ministry Jesus began on earth and wrote two books that are included in the Bible. Look at this picture of him.
Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one. Acts 5:15
Peter, of all people. Remember Peter? Impetuous. Strong willed. Outspoken. Sometimes good answers. Sometimes not-so-good answers. In one instance, his answer was so spot on that Jesus told him flesh and blood had not revealed it to him, but only God could have done it. In another, Jesus told him to get behind him and characterized him as Satan. A man of many contradictions. Peter. Of all the disciples. Not John the love bug. Not James, the other Son of Thunder.
But Peter, who followed the Lord closely enough to walk on water. Peter who declared he’d never forsake the Lord, and yet denied him when it appeared his life was at stake. Peter. He didn’t touch them. He didn’t pray over them. He didn’t speak a word over them. He walked by them. He simply walked by them. He only walked by them. And their hope was merely that his shadow would fall on them. They had seen it before. Some of them might have been the past recipients of this healing. Some of their friends and relatives may have been healed in the process. But they’d seen it. They’d heard it. They knew it worked.
And their only concern was that the patient get close enough to the edge of the pathway that Peter’s shadow would fall on them as he passed by. No audience required. No paperwork to fill out. No insurance affiliation to verify. No membership required to the neighborhood church. They only needed Peter’s shadow to fall on them and healing would be instantaneous. Peter didn’t know how this happened. He just knew that it happened. And so did his constituents.
Excerpted from Created to Walk on Water.
Dorothy Scott Boulware 